karachikamera was a one-off mini film festival (held in San Francisco earlier this year) showcasing short films by Pakistani film-makers. After my last post, I felt I needed to find something positive to say about Pakistani cinema; it's reassuring to see that independent cinema is alive (and just about kicking) in Pakistan.
The website's worth a visit - pretty cool, I love the rickshaw camera logo! Some extracts from the website follow:
"The ten short films - ranging in duration from 5 minutes to 25 minutes - capture the essence of Pakistani society. They deal with such varied subjects as sport, religion, internal conflicts and music. Each short film reveals a deep insight about Pakistani culture and Pakistani people...
Recognizing the lack of international exposure available to Pakistani independent filmmakers, Buniyad has teamed up with KaraFilm Society to provide an annual forum that showcases the works of independent directors of Pakistan and features documentaries/short films that are frontrunners at the KaraFilm festival. Through these annual events we intend to not only promote Pakistani independent filmmakers but also provide local audiences valuable information about film festivals that take place in Pakistan."
What is Karachi? [
watch the clip]
"The origin of the word “Karachi” is still disputed. Some say that the thriving metropolis of more than 15 million people was named after the dancing girl, “Kulachi”. A more conservative faction holds that “Kulachi” was actually the name of one of the fishermen that originally inhabited this area. Whether dancing girl or fisherman, Karachi itself is as incongruous as the roots of its name. British cantonment buildings rub shoulders with colorful dargahs, neo- gothic cathedrals stand in perfect symmetry opposite the imposing domes of mosques and aged Sikh or Hindu temples. The high boundary walls of the Spanish villas and “white houses” of Clifton or Defense give way to the cramped quarters of the winding “muhallahs” (low-income settlements).
There is nothing tuneful about Karachi either. Yet the sounds early morning koel (cukoo), the azaan blaring from various masjid loudspeakers, and the roar from rickshaws with burst silencers come together as a soundtrack for a life that is far from ordinary. Even Charles Napier who set out to annex Sindh in 1843 was seduced by the complex charm of this city. In his words, “You will be the glory of the East; would that I could come again, Karachi to see you in your grandeur.”
To truly enjoy Karachi, you have to let it become a part of your inner being. Only then, when Karachi has seeped into your system can you truly enjoy the vibe of this frantic city. Visit a roadside café, (known as “dhaaba” to locals) and enjoy a sweet cup of “saw meel ki chai” (or tea of a hundred miles). Chat with truckers who swear that this is the tea that will keep them awake through long and silent journeys in the desert highways of Sind. Let the locals mystify you with tales about the crocodiles at Mangho Pir (situated on the outskirts of Karachi) that are believed to be reincarnates of the lice shed from the hair of the great saint. So immense was his power that even the smallest elements of his being, the lice in his hair, amount to the mighty crocodiles. Karachi’s culture is filled with stories of saints and sinners. There are many mazaars (shrines) that dot its landscape. A visit to Misri Shah reveals countless worshippers who have dedicated their entire lives to the upkeep of the final resting place of this great saint (who is believed to be holding back the Arabian Sea with the palm of his hand and therefore preventing the city from flooding).
If this is not drama enough, Karachi has hundreds of Cinema houses located all over the old city. Prepare to spend a solid three hours watching the gyrations, complications and adulations of the most popular Punjaabi movie stars. The equivalent of a coke and bag of popcorn here is a Pakola (A green cola that is the preferred thirst quencher for the over-heated Karachi public) and spicy corn kernels served in old newspapers.
Not far from the theatres, are the famous “dhobigaaths” or washing villages. Miles and miles of sheets twist in the tropical breeze with steam and smoke rising from cement furnaces. Each day, washermen set out towards the elite districts of the city atop special donkey carts to collect the dirty laundry of the rich. Here in these massive washing villages, brand label sheets and towels are beaten on cement floors and hung to dry amid the din and clamor of the inner city.
If sheets are not your cup of chai, visit the 24-hour fruit and vegetable market right in the middle of the city. Feel like a radish at 2 am? This is the place to go. Remember to haggle though, haggling and shopping are a big part of this city’s culture. Outdoor souks overflow with the best copperware, silks and fine thread carpets in the world. Entering any one of these markets is like stumbling upon a vast underground treasure. Watch your manners though, most shopkeepers expect you to sit with them and have a cup of tea on the house, failure to
do so might shock and offend. Karachi might be a frantic city, but karachiites love to slow down to gossip over a good cup of hot tea any chance they get.
This is Karachi in all its delirium. Ask anyone and they will agree that to know this city is to love this city. Kollosal. Kaotic. Kaptivating. Karachi, the city by the sea
[do I detect the slight influence of Kamila Shamsie?]."